Determine the number of major details in the paragraphs
below.It is useful to identify the topic sentence and to look for
transition words that suggest addition ( such as first, second, third,
moreover, also, in addition, furthermore).

According to WebMd, there are a number of symptoms
associated with hypothyroidism. One common symptom is the inability to
tolerate cold. People with hypothyroidism feel cold more intensely and
often wear light sweaters, even during the summer. Another symptom is
feeling tired throughout the day. In addition, individuals with this
disease often experience hair loss. (Some women find that they never have
to shave their legs again.) Yet another symptom is dry skin. Perhaps most
problematic is modest weight gain. People with undiagnosed hypothyroid
disease often gain weight even when they do not overeat.

Mystery fiction comes in many varieties, each
appealing to different groups of readers. First, there is the “classic”
mystery. Classic mysteries include works by Agatha Christie, Edgar Allan
Poe, and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and allow the reader an equal opportunity to
solve the crime. Another category is the hard-boiled variety. Often
considered distinctly American, this variety includes tough, solitary
detectives who live in a world gone wrong. Then there are police
procedurals. These stories offer a step-by-step look at the personnel and
methods used in the investigation of a crime and typically include police
officers as protagonists. Finally, there is the contemporary cozy, which is
similar to the classical style.

For a novel to be classified as a “contemporary
classic mystery,” it must include many of the following characteristics.
For one thing, there must be a puzzle to be solved by both the reader and
the protagonist. In addition, the detective, usually a reluctant amateur,
is the hero. Next, the investigation of the crime must be the central
action or plot of the story. Furthermore, the victim of the crime should be
someone who will not be terribly missed. Contemporary classic writers must
also follow the rules of fair play. That is, all clues should be accessible
to the reader and no new evidence should be included when the villain is
unmasked.

The 1970s saw a number of changes in the mystery
fiction publishing world. One change was the importance of regionalism.
Novels need not be set in an English country village or on the mean streets
of some huge city. Another change was inclusion. Females were no longer
excluded in the world of the private eye. Novels of this time period also
saw changes in ethnic and racial representation. For instance, James
Patterson introduced the African-American detective Alex Cross, and Rabbi
David Small and Father Dowling both had crimes to solve. In addition,
novels of the 1970s showed increased specialization. Series might focus on
horse racing, sports agents, cats, and even antique prints.

The writer S. S. Van Dine forbade certain tricks in
the writing of mystery and detective fiction. First of all, a writer could
not use a séance to trick the guilty party into confessing. The detective
also could not use a word association test to determine guilt. Another
forbidden trick was the use of phony fingerprints. Nor could writers have a
character use a dummy to establish an alibi. Van Dine viewed such tricks as
violating the rules of fair play.

Father Ronald Knox also offered his own rules for
detective fiction. No more than one secret room or secret passageway was
allowed. The criminal had to be introduced fairly early in the story.
Supernatural forces were also not permitted. Knox also believed that the
detective could not be the villain. Perhaps his strangest rule was that no
Chinamen could be featured in a story.

The Dalton State Portal has many useful features. It
includes access to BANNER. Here students can check their grades or register
for courses. The Portal also includes campus announcements. These may
inform students of new courses or events offered through the Fine Arts
series. The Portal’s “bookmark” feature is particularly useful. With a few
simple steps, the user can have access to the Weather Channel, the
Hummingbird Migration Web site, or even the Daily Citizen online.
Moreover, the Portal offers “tabs.” These tabs can take interested students
to the Roberts Library Web site or to their DSConnect course page. Finally,
the Portal offers access to campus email.

According to Research Methods in the Social
Sciences (Frankfort-Nachmias and Nachmias), using personal interviews is
often more advantageous than using questionnaires sent through the mail.
Personal interviews offer greater flexibility. For instance, during an
interview, the interviewer can clarify questions that might be
misunderstood. In addition, personal interviews typically yield a better
response rate. Researchers cannot control how many questionnaires are thrown
away as junk mail, but they can control the numbers of people they
eventually interview. Personal interviews also provide fuller information.
The interviewer can observe facial expressions and spontaneous reactions
that a mailed survey cannot provide.

However, using personal interviews to conduct research
is not without disadvantages. The text Research Methods in the Social
Sciences (Frankfort-Nachmias and Nachmias) notes that personal
interviews are more expensive than mailed questionnaires. For example,
travel costs to interview a single subject for a study may be far more
expensive than the cost of a postage stamp. In addition, personal
interviews are subject to interviewer bias. During a face-to-face
interview, the interviewer may inadvertently send nonverbal signals to the
interviewee that might affect his or her responses. A final drawback of
personal interviews is the lack of anonymity. If the subject matter is
sensitive or controversial, the interviewee could feel too uncomfortable to
answer truthfully.

American workers change jobs for a variety of
reasons. Promotion is one typically positive reason for changing jobs.
Relocating is also a common reason for a job change. Sometimes workers
relocate to help out an aging parent; others relocate for health reasons.
Layoffs are also responsible for many job changes. Employees who find
themselves laid off will often take any job available. And of course, some
individuals are forced into a new line of work when they are fired.